Dumfries and Galloway Council is once again proud to be taking part in WWF’s Earth Hour on Saturday 25th March.
Now in its tenth year, our Council will join thousands of people across Scotland and millions from around the world in switching off lights next weekend.
By joining the celebration, we are helping put a spotlight on the issues facing our brilliant planet, such as climate change, and to remind us that, together, we have the power to make change happen.
To mark this global event, Dumfries and Galloway Council will be switching off the floodlighting for the weekend at our Head Quarters in English Street, Dumfries. Nearly thirty Dumfries and Galloway schools have already signed up to make Earth Hour matter.
D&G Council is also supporting local events celebrating our beautiful planet during Climate Week and Earth Hour 2017:
- Dumfries and Galloway Environment Fair, a free day out with activities for all the family, is on Saturday 18th March, 10am–3.30pm at the Rutherford McCowan building, Crichton Campus, Dumfries. This is the 21st year and everyone is asked to dress up for the party in their animal onesies, hats and scarfs. More here: https://www.facebook.com/EnvironmentFair/
- Our Council has teamed up with Elizabeth Tindal, Freelance Ranger on Saturday 25th March. With the lights turned off for Earth Hour it is a unique opportunity to check out which stars can be seen from the middle of Dumfries. Join us between 8pm -9.30pm to study the night sky and learn more about stars and space. Meeting point details are here: http://www.freelanceranger.com/ or call Elizabeth on 01671 820814 or 07842 241141.
- During Earth Hour the Wild Film Festival Scotland has Iolo Williams (Springwatch / RSPB) celebrity speaker at the Theatre Royal, ‘Racing Extinction’ showing at the Robert Burns Centre and David Attenborough’s ‘Great Barrier Reef’ showing at the Brigend Theatre. Tickets and the full Festival Programme for 24th-26th March are available online or from the Midsteeple Box Office (01387 253383) in Dumfries. Some events are free. http://www.wildfilmfestivalscotland.co.uk/
- Gracefield Arts Centre has the British Wildlife Photographer awards exhibition daily from 4th March to 15th April Mon -Sat 10am-5pm with the only Sunday opening on the 26th March. Entry is free. Details available here: http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/gracefield
Councillor Colin Smyth, Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee said: “We’re proud to once again be taking part in WWF’s Earth Hour. It’s great to be able to show that by us all working together we can make a difference and help protect our planet.
“I hope as many people in Dumfries and Galloway as possible get involved and make the tenth anniversary of Earth Hour one for us all to remember.”
Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said:
“We’re delighted that Dumfries and Galloway Council is again taking part in WWF’s Earth Hour. It’s an opportunity for us all to demonstrate in a simple way that we care about our planet and the impact climate change is having on people and nature across the world.”
Since 2007, WWF’s Earth Hour’s unique display of darkness has become a global phenomenon with hundreds of millions of individuals coming together each year. In 2016, 178 countries and some of world’s most famous buildings including Edinburgh Castle, The Kelpies, Big Ben, Hong Kong’s skyline and the Sydney Harbour Bridge joined the global celebration. In Scotland thousands of people took part, including schools, businesses and organisations.
Everyone can join the celebration for WWF’s Earth Hour on Saturday 25 March 2017. For more information and to sign up please visitwwfscotland.org.uk/earthhour
